Scarf-pin retainer.



E. R. SHEPPARD.

SCARP PIN RETAINER.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. s, 1912.

v Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

)i III IIIIIIII'I. 1

@vi/We EELE R. SHEPPARD, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

SCARF-PN RETAINER.

Specncation of Letters Patent.

Patenten nel. te, esta'.

application tiled September 3, 1912. Serial No. 718,250.

To all whom 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that l, Enne R. SHEPPARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Scarf-Pin Retainers, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to scarf-pin retainers in which means are provided to automatically grip and retain a scarf pin and prevent the pin from becoming loose or from being surreptitiously removed from a scart", and has for its main object to provide means for readily releasing the gripping devices of the retainer, from t-he scarf pin.

@ne of the objects of my invention is to provide a clutch inlivhich the gripping device is entirely tree and separate from the spring-pressed plunger. ln prior devices of this character with which l am familiar, the ball gripping devices are retained in sockets in a carrier and are moved longitudinally of the clutch casing with said carrier. My present invention greatly simplifies the construction of such clutches, inasmuch as the gripping balls are entirely free and arev merely held in operative position against the tapering Wall of conical end or nose of the casing by a spring-pressed plunger having a tapering or conical head.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiments otmy invention, Figures 1, 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections of one forni thereof; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a modiiied form; Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 vis a top plan View of Fig. 4.

The tubular casing 1, is reduced at one end 24` made conical in outline and provided with an insertion opening 4, to receive a scart pin 6. The opposite end of the casing is closed by means of a cap 7, secured thereto in any suitable manner and provided with a central opening for the hollow stem 9 of the plunger 10.

The steel or other balls 12, which constitute the gripping elements, are independently mounted Within the conical clutch chamber adjacent the insertion opening and are normally maintained in operative position by the conical face of the plunger 10, which is yieldinglyheld by the spring 14. The plunger may be retracted by means ot a pin or button 15, projecting through the of the operator. .great importance in the practical operation casingl and slidable in a slot 16, therein. lnstead of a pin, a ring or band 17, encircling the casing and connected by means of opposite screws or rivets 18, may be employed as the operating member, as illustrated in Figs. el and 6.

In operation, when the scarf pin is inserted through the opening 4, they balls are forced apart and press downwardly upon t-he end of the plungerl which yields downivardly as indicated in F ig. 2, the pin being permitted to pass freely through thebore of the hollow stem 9. The angle or slant ot the end of the plunger' 10 is made less than that of the tapering end Wall of. the casing 2, so that the pressure exerted through the clutch balls upon the pin is the resultant of the pressure from the plunger and the casing, as will be evident-.trom Fig'. 2. lf new the pin is pulled in the opposite direction, the balls will be wedged tightly between the tapering inner walls of the conical end 2 and will grip the pin in a manner to prevent any relative movement between the clutch. and the pin. `When it is desired to release the pin, theballs maybe instantly Withdrawn by pressing the finger upon the pin 15, in the manner indicated in Fig. 3, thereby depressing the plunger and permitting the balls to roll down the inclined face of the plunger and away from the pin.

rl`he' advantages of my construction will now be appreciated by those familiar with clutch mechanism. By forming the plunger head with a tapering or conical operating face, the balls are caused to fall or roll away from the pin as soon as-the clutch isreleased and they remain entirely out of Contact with the pin While it is being removed. Furthermore,the balls will have no tendency to roll toward or into the central aperture or bore of the plunger after the pin is removed, but

-will be brought into symmetrical relation around the center by the posit-ive action of the plunger ivhenvit is released by the finger rlhis feature is also of ofthe clutch. n

While l have particularly described my `clutch asa scarf pin retainer, it is obvious that it may be employed as a hat pin guard and may also be used in other relations as a clutch device. I have described in detail the particular construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings tor the purpose of disclosing embodiments 02E my invention, but

I amfaware that various changes may Abe made therein Without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the appended claims. l

l Having `now set forth the severalfeatures of my invention which are new in this art and the functions which they perform in a clutch, I claim l. A clutch or pin-retainer having a casing provided with a, slot extending longitudinally thereof1 an inclined tapering inner wall and an insertion aperture adjacent thereto, a spring-pressed plungerhaving an operating device projecting through said slot, said plunger having a conical end face and provided With a central aperture, a plurality of gripping devices loosely disposed in the chamber between said inclined inner Wall and said conical end face, said conical end face being inclined at a less angle than said tapering inner wall so that the pressure upon the pin is/a result-ant vof that exerted from the plunger-head and from the casingwall, and a cap on the end of the casing opposite the tapering Wall and having an aperture in alinement With said insertion aperture.

2. A clutch or pin-retainer having a casing provided with a longitudinally extending slot and having a conical end provided with an insertion aperture, and a cap closing' the opposlte end of said casing and having an opening there1n,a plunger having a ta- Lcaaaaa pering end face and a hollow stern projecting through said opening, an operating device carried by said plunger and projecting through said slot, and a plurality of spherical clutch members freely disposed between said conical end and said tapering end face, said tapering end face being inclined at' a less angle than said conical end of the casing so that the pressure exerted through the clutch members Vupon the pin is a resultant vof that exerted from .the plunger head and from the casing.

3. Aclutch or pin retainer having a casing provided with a conical end having an insertion aperture, and acap closing the op posite end of said casing and having a' ta pering end face and a hollow stem projecting through said opening, and a plurality of spherical clutch members freely disposed between said conical end and said tapering end face, said conical end of the casingbeng inclined at a greater angle than the tapering end face of said plunger, so that the pres Surel exerted through the clutch members upon the pin is a resultant of that exerted from the plunger head and from the casing.

ln testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

anni: n. sunrrnnn.

lllitnesses Minnnnn VVAHLBERG, OTTO V. BALLENBERGER. 

